topic printing layout in monochrome still prints color in AutoCAD Forum

printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 17:07:55 GMT

I have read other replies to this and still I am having problems. I am sure I am doing something wrong, but I need the layout to just be monochrome. There has got to be a simple way of doing it and I am not following the other posts explaining it. Can someone help please?

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Patchy — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 17:46:20 GMT

Basic autocad colors can be printed monochrome BUT True Colors CAN'T

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Alfred.NESWADBA — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 17:48:28 GMT

Hi,

the fastest way to get a valid answer would be to upload the drawing + a PDF which is your result of plotting (using plot to "DWG to PDF.pc3).

Otherwise we have to guess, maybe for days ....

like:

the viewports visual style are not set to "2D Wireframe"
the CTB or STB are not defined well
the checkbox "plot with plot styles" is not activated in the plot dialog.
...

- alfred -

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

imadHabash — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 17:49:48 GMT

Hi,

if your layers color taken from True color OR Color Books,it will be always printing in color.so i suggest to check your layer color.

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 19:04:23 GMT

uploaded

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Alfred.NESWADBA — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 19:13:08 GMT

Hi,

>> printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Reason 1:

In none of the 2 layouts a plot-style table is used, so no reason for AutoCAD to plot monochrome.

Reason 2 (see my guesses):

The viewport is set to visual style "hidden", so the output is rendered, rending means all vectors are true-color and true-color values can't be converted by CTB or STB. Result is a colored output.

To avoid that:

Option A:

1) make sure a CTB is used like "monochrine.ctb"

2) select the viewport and set property "Shade plot" to "Legacy hidden"

Option B:

1) use viewport layer overrides to make the layers grey

- alfred -

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 01:07:35 GMT

Thank you so much. A simple solution that I needed some one to hold my hand with. HA! Thanks again.

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

claytonbpunter — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 02:27:27 GMT

Hey Guy's,

Sorry for bringing up an old thread, but it seams to be the best one.

I have 2 files, one is an output from mircostation. It prints B&W like I want it to.

If I copy stuff from the model where it prints correctly to a new model, it no longer prints B&W. Having a look it's obvious why the pen assignments aren't working as the colors are sligtly different to the pen assignments.

On the surface of it, everything is identical, I've looked at how it's shaded etc. What I want to know is what setting is different in the drawing exported from mircostation to enable the colours to print B&W when they are both using to the same plot styles.

I can "fix it" by changing layer colours etc etc, but it's too onerous as it's a daily task as subs design in Mircostation and we design in ACAD, thats not going to change so I'd like to be able to change the setting.

Also I should add, I don't beleive it's a VP setting as when I copy the VP between the file that does work and the file that doesn't, that does NOT fix the issue.

Thanks heaps, Clayton

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Alfred.NESWADBA — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 10:03:59 GMT

Hi,

if you upload the dwg-file would help and might result in a faster solution.

>> If I copy stuff from the model where it prints correctly to a new model

That's the source of the issue, the model is not your plot-definition.

How it will be plotted is dependent on layout, pagesetup and viewports, and as you only copied the model you seem to have the differences in that part of dwg-files.

- alfred -

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

claytonbpunter — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 20:23:45 GMT

Thanks Aflred,

I get that.

So what has changed is my question essentially.

1. It's not in the VP, as I've copied that between the drawings and it doesn't change the print out.

2. It's not the Pen styles, as it is the same pen style accross both drawings, in fact in the one where it prints all back it's almost like it's ignoreing the pen style.

So what setting(s) would I need to change to get the new document to print in the same manor as the old document?

Also, I have been trying to understand the difference between stb's and ctb's thinking that was maybe the issue. Now I have another document (dowloaded from this site) which when I go to print only brings up stb's for pen assignments. Could this be a way of fixing the issue?

Although, this doesn't explain the original issue.

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Alfred.NESWADBA — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 20:38:50 GMT

Hi,

>> So what setting(s) would I need to change

Without the drawing we are guessing, no chance to get the drawing with objects that don't look correct?

It would make (and solve) all that much faster.

>> trying to understand the difference between stb's and

>> ctb's thinking that was maybe the issue

So are you saying that one drawing uses CTB and the other drawing uses STB files ...in the list of plot-styles within the plot-dialog?

Then you can use command _CONVERTPSTYLES (>>>details<<<) to convert the drawing to CTB instead of using STB.

- alfred -

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 19:48:32 GMT

omg I was freaking out bad and just as a long shot I googled this issue... sooooo glad you posted!!! thanks a bunch!! I don't know how the viewport thingy got checked to realistic but I don't know how long if ever I would of thought of that...

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

laurenUX96D — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 01:03:05 GMT

changing my shade plot to legacy hidden solved my problem of only plotting in color but now my text and my dimension text (extension lines still plot) does not plot but is showing up in print preview...Any ideas?

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Alfred.NESWADBA — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 08:04:31 GMT

Hi,

>> Any ideas?

Please show us the dwg-file + let us know which version of AutoCAD you are using (command _ABOUT).

But take care ... hiding text objects is always tricky 😉

- alfred -

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

laurenUX96D — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 15:14:57 GMT

I am using AutoCAD version 2018 for Mac, saving to 2007 for my client (if that matters). I have attached the file and have saved my 24x36 layout with my viewport shaded plot in legacy hidden where the dimension text and other mtext will not print the other 24x36(2) layout saved my original problem of not being able to print in monochrome.

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:53:00 GMT

I think this is my issue, but when I change the 'True Color' to black it also makes the index color black?

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

MartyWallace — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 00:41:53 GMT

Hooray! You solved my problem. I changed the visual style to 2d wireframe and it now prints in monochrome. (It was originally set to Conceptual). This has been driving me nuts.

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

kibrahim5FCB6 — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 10:15:13 GMT

Hello, Sorry i am joining the party a bit late, but it seems I am having a similar issue, a .DGN file we imported to Autocad works smoothly, however the moment we try to print to PDF (monochrone) colours are retained.

Problem is that the layers are a mess and some Objects are assigned colour per layer as well (yes I am also amazed that in 2021 people are still not able to draft properly with layers) - hence i guess the above solutions are not working for me (we are running a bit tight with time any quick way we can fix it.)

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

mike_racca — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 12:09:59 GMT

I am currently having the same issue. An XREF'd DGN does not seem to recognize an assigned Plot Style Table. The DGN always plots in color, unless you attach it or insert it. I have also noticed that a DWG with a similar name as the DGN gets created in the same file directory as well. I can manually delete it. I am surprised at how difficult it is to find additional information concerning the limitations of an XREF'd DGN...

Re: printing layout in monochrome still prints color

pendean — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:44:05 GMT

@mike_racca Why don't you start your own post that specifically is titled DGN XREF NOT PRINTING IN MONOCHROME, perhaps even in your C3D forum since that is what you use (I believe from your previous forums participation).

HTH